Letter VI And Last
Historical de Steiger translation with Waite introduction, 1909 edition
Karl von Eckartshausen, Isabelle de Steiger, and Arthur Edward Waite
Our understanding is formed after that of Jesus Christ; First, when we have Him in view in everything, when He forms the only point of sight for all our actions—intuitus. Second, when we perceive His actions, His sentiments, and His spirit everywhere—apperceptio. Third, when in all our thoughts we reflect upon His sayings, when we think in everything as He would have thought—reflexio. Fourth, when we so comfort ourselves in such wise, that His thoughts and His wisdom are the only object for the strength of our imagination—fantasia. Fifth, when we reject every thought which would not be His, and when we choose every thought which could be His—judicium. Sixth, when in short we co-ordinate the whole edifice of our ideas and spirit upon the model of His ideas and spirit—ratio. Seventh, It is then will be born in us a new light, a more brilliant one, surpassing far the light of reason of the senses—intellectus.
Our heart is also reformed in like manner, when in everything,—First, We lean on Him only—desidare. Second, We wish for Him only—appetere. Third, We desire only Him—concupiscere. Fourth, We love Him only—amare. Fifth, We choose only that which He is, so that we avoid all that He is not—eligere. Sixth, We live only in harmony with Him after His commandments and His institutions and orders—subordinare.
By which in short, Seventh, is born a complete union of our will with His, by which union man is with Jesus Christ but as one sense, one heart; by which perfect union the new man is little by little born in us, and Divine wisdom and love unite to form in us the new spiritual man, in whose heart faith passes into sight, and in comparison to this living faith the treasures of India can be considered but as ashes.
This actual possession of God or Jesus Christ in us is the Centre towards which all the mysteries converge like rays to the circle eye; the highest of the mysteries is this consummation.
The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of truth, morality, and happiness. It operates in the saints from the innermost to the outside, and spreads itself gradually by the Spirit of Jesus Christ into all nations, to institute everywhere an Order by means of which the individual can reach as well as the race; our human nature can be raised to its highest perfection, and sick humanity be cured from all the evils of its weakness.
Thus the love and spirit of God will one day alone vivify all humanity; they will awake and rekindle all the strength of the human race, will lead it to the goals of Wisdom and place it in suitable relationships.
Peace, fidelity, domestic harmony, love between nations, will be the first fruits of this Spirit. Inspiration of good without false similitudes, the exaltation of our souls without too severe a tension, warmth in the heart without turbulent impatience, will approach, reconcile, and unite all the various parts of the human race, long separated and divided by many differences, and stirred up against each other by prejudices and errors, and in one Grand Temple of Nature, great and little, poor and rich, all will sing the praise of the Father of Love.
THE END
Footnotes
Source notes
[1] I can’t but think here that the words interior and exterior are transposed in translating from the original German to the French from which I translate it, but I put it as I find in the text of the very valuable edition to which I have access.—I. de S.
[2] Capitals are rarely employed. I always quote them, but occasionally use them in other places when the sense requires them, so as not to confuse the cases and genders, for instance, esprit evidently requires to be written occasionally Spirit, not spirit.
[3] The Three Magi.